Chamber presents top honor // PHOTO GALLERY

Published: Friday, January 24, 2014 at 10:49 PM.

The awards portion of the evening began with outgoing Chairman Bill Fenimore presenting the Eagle Award to Al McCambry, outgoing chair of the chamber’s Military Affairs Committee.

Claire Sherman of Lamar Advertising received the 2013 Member of the Year award for her service to the chamber and its members.

Also honored were
Bryan
Taylor of
United Way
and David Powell of
Inn
ovations Federal Credit Union, who each received the Chairman’s Award from Fenimore, who passed the gavel to newly-elected Chairman Larry Carroll shortly after.

“We’ve had an incredible year,” Fenimore said, highlighting success in legislative and governmental affairs and membership stabilization in 2013.

Carroll ended the program setting goals for a better
Bay
County
in 2014, with a focus on military affairs, economic development, growing the workforce and building better relationships with other
Bay
County
agencies.

“When it’s all said and done, we’re all in this together guys,” Carroll said.

PANAMA CITYBEACH — “You can’t out give” was the message Hugh Roche gave at the BayCountyChamber of Commerce’s annual Awards Ceremony and Dinner Friday night.

“Whatever little bit I’ve been able to give the community has come back to me ten-fold,” Roche said in a teary acceptance speech after receiving the chamber’s most prestigious Lauren Merriam Memorial Award, given annually to a member committed to community service.

Dr. Robert McSpadden, who presented the award, described Roche as someone who has improved every community he has ever lived in.

“He was just somebody that every community was better because he once lived there, and certainly Bay County, Florida is much better because he lives here,” McSpadden said, rattling off an endless list of organizations Roche has contributed his time to over the years, including the American Cancer Society, American Red Cross, United Way, Rotary Club, Gulf Coast Community College Foundation Board and Board of Trustees and the chamber. “If it mattered to this community and it would make this community better, he put himself in the middle of it.”

The award is given in memory of the late Lauren Merriam, a past chamber president and community leader known for his wit and passion for improving Bay County. Roche is the 37th recipient of the award, which is chosen annually by past award winners.

Friday’s dinner drew more than 500 Chamber members, including community leaders from area businesses and elected officials.

The awards portion of the evening began with outgoing Chairman Bill Fenimore presenting the Eagle Award to Al McCambry, outgoing chair of the chamber’s Military Affairs Committee.

Claire Sherman of Lamar Advertising received the 2013 Member of the Year award for her service to the chamber and its members.

Also honored were Bryan Taylor of United Way and David Powell of Innovations Federal Credit Union, who each received the Chairman’s Award from Fenimore, who passed the gavel to newly-elected Chairman Larry Carroll shortly after.

“We’ve had an incredible year,” Fenimore said, highlighting success in legislative and governmental affairs and membership stabilization in 2013.

Carroll ended the program setting goals for a better BayCounty in 2014, with a focus on military affairs, economic development, growing the workforce and building better relationships with other BayCounty agencies.

“When it’s all said and done, we’re all in this together guys,” Carroll said.